NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 39 



have elsewhere had occasion to point out*; and the observations 

 of Mr. Selous, which follow, confirm the view we have expressed: — 

 " At mid-day on the 16th July I found myself on the edge of the broken 

 country in which the Mazoe takes its rise. * * * * * 



It was getting late in the afternoon, when I suddenly descried a black 

 speck, which looked like an Ostrich, far away in the distance. Pulling in 

 my horse, I looked intently at it. As I did so, it suddenly disappeared. 

 I felt sure that it had lain down in the grass, and knew that if it really had 

 been an Ostrich, it was very probable that it had a nest there, for it was the 

 breeding season for these birds. I accordingly rode steadily in the direction 

 where whatever it was I had seen had disappeared, and at length began to 

 think I had overridden it, when up jumped a hen Ostrich from a little patch 

 of long grass, about eighty yards in front of me, and ran away slowly with 

 outstretched drooping wings and lowered neck. I might have had a splendid 

 shot at her, but from the way she ran I knew she had got off her nest, and 

 so did not fire, as I felt sure that if I now went the right way to work, 

 I should in all probability be able to secure the cock bird. Riding up to 

 the patch of grass from which the hen bird had risen I saw she had a nest 

 there containing thirteen eggs." — (P. 82.) 



Further on he makes the state of the case clearer : — 



" Between Inyati and the Umniati river we did not find very much 

 game. * * * Just after crossing the river Vungo, Jameson and I, 

 having taken a ride round, came upon a hen Ostrich on her nest. We went 

 up to the nest, which was just a large shallow hole scratched in the sandy 

 soil, and found that it contained twelve eggs. Thinking that either the 

 cock or the hen would put in an appearance just at sunset, which is the 

 time these birds relieve one another whilst incubating, we cleared out a little 

 space in the centre of a small thick bush, about thirty yards from the nest, 

 in which my friend took up his position. * * * * * $ 

 He shot the hen bird as she was returning to the nest just at sunset. She 

 was in very good plumage, and worth about £10, the feathers of a fine cock 

 being worth about £25 at that time. The next day we sent some Kafirs 

 back for the eggs, of which we afterwards made some very good omelettes 

 and pancakes."— (P. 463). 



Amongst other stirring incidents related in this book is a 

 curious case of cattle struck by lightning, which is thus de- 

 scribed : — 



"In December, 1882, 1 was travelling south from the Matabili country, 

 and was in charge of about a hundred head of cattle belonging to 



* See ' Nature,' March 22nd, 1883. 



